Jessica Harrington’s Post

Imagine a future where the government can shut down nonprofits, silence critics, and stifle free expression—all based on a single accusation, with no evidence required. That dystopian reality looms closer with the passage of H.R. 9495. This bill would allow the government to unilaterally label nonprofits as “terrorist-supporting” without due process, creating immense potential for abuse. As Fair and Just Prosecution Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig warns: 📢 “Fear of government retaliation could lead organizations to self-censor, avoiding important work to protect themselves from reputational damage and financial ruin. This chilling effect would weaken civil society, limiting the freedom of dissent and political advocacy when those rights are needed most.” Americans across the political spectrum should oppose this dangerous bill.

Our sector is in serious danger with complicit Congress reps currently, and more so with the incoming administration. Volunteerism, community care, and social safety nets are inherently anti-fascist and pro-democracy ideals, and it's very disappointing (if not surprising) to see a dozen short-sighted Dems vote for this. Hopefully this bill dies in the Senate, but it will be back next year if it does. Do not comply in advance -1st rule of resisting authoritarianism! https://lnkd.in/gQjNeHKS

“These are detailed plans to take full control of various federal departments and agencies from the very start and to use every power available to implement radical ethnonationalist regulations and action plans." It amounts to a “full prep for an authoritarian takeover, buttressed by the control Trump and Trumpists now have over the GOP and its apparatuses.” In this drive by the right, should Trump win, there are basically three power centers: 1) groups brought together by Leonard Leo, co-chairman of the Federalist Society; 2) a right-wing tax-exempt alliance clustered on Capitol Hill calling themselves "patriot row"; 3) the Heritage Foundation and its "Project 2025," a full-blown plot to impose fascism in the U.S. from the get-go. All of this is funded by literally billions in dark money by far-right plutocrats whose concealed identities and tax-exempt cash gifts are channeled through bogus "non-profits." I'm not one given to hyperbole, but if you doubt that there is a vast, well-organized right-wing conspiracy to seize power, read this outstanding, meticulously researched piece by Thomas Edsall. If you can sleep well after doing so, consult a shrink. We have entered Oliver Stone territory - but for real. https://lnkd.in/dd45Gv72

We don’t want to spread fear. But this article from The Guardian shows why, even if HR 9495 is “standing by” for now, it’s crucial to be alert & prepared to defend America’s nonprofit sector & the 1st Amendment in 2025. Please use our Defend Nonprofits & Democracy Toolkit: bit.ly/4hXQlpK Trump Planning to Target Progressive Nonprofits, Watchdog Warns bit.ly/403Idw7 Free account needed. Sharing some outtakes below… The Guardian By David Smith Donald Trump and his Republican allies are planning to target progressive groups they perceive as political enemies in a sign of deepening “authoritarianism”, a US watchdog has warned. The president-elect could potentially use the justice department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to target non-profits and researchers, launch politically motivated investigations and pass legislation to restrict their activities. “Trump has made it clear that he plans to use his second term to attack the progressive ecosystem and his perceived enemies,” Adrienne Watson of the Congressional Integrity Project (CIP) told the Guardian. “This is a worrying progression of Trump’s authoritarianism that would undermine our democracy.” The CIP announced on Wednesday that it will aim to counter such abuses of power with a new initiative to defend progressive groups and individuals. The Civic Defense Project will be led by Watson, a former White House and Democratic National Committee spokesperson. Fears have been raised by the Trump second term agenda’s considerable overlap with Project 2025, a policy blueprint that includes plans to attack non-profits, researchers and civil society groups that have challenged election denial narratives. Activists say the threat extends includes leveraging government agencies such as the justice department and IRS to investigate, prosecute and shut down organisations that oppose the administration’s policies. Trump has nominated individuals with a record of targeting non-profits they disagree with to key positions, including Billy Long for IRS commissioner and Pam Bondi for attorney general. Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, has vowed to “come after” media outlets and non-profits that he claims “helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections”. Congressional Republicans have a history of targeting non-profits including charities, advocacy groups and universities, the CIP says. Josh Hawley, a Republican senator and Trump ally, has called for the justice department to shut down organisations backing protests involving civil disobedience. Senator JD Vance, now vice-president-elect, introduced a bill to withdraw federal support and impose a 50% excise tax on universities that fail to stop student protests. In another ominous sign, the House last month passed legislation that would give the treasury department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of non-profits it claims support terrorism. Critics have raised concerns that this law could be used to crush dissent.

I’m a lifelong Republican. I am also an adopted Texan, having moved here from Louisiana. I love Texas. The GOP in Texas has devolved from representation of Texas’ Citizens to representation of Billionaires. Until we eliminate the influence of money, Texas Politics will be defined by donors to election funds who have the largest bank accounts & the greatest Wealth. Until we limit, severely, the amount of money that any one person can donate to an election fund, great Wealth will supplant the votes of Texas’ Citizens. Until we prohibit anyone who is not a Constituent from donating funds, out-of-district/out-of-state Billionaires who who cannot actually cast a vote in a given Texas election, will use their Wealth to trump the votes of Citizen Constituents in Texas. If you cannot cast a vote in a Texas election, you shouldn’t be able to donate to fund that election. Texans don’t want secession. Texans don’t want private school vouchers (we want our Public Schools fully-funded, high-performing, we want our Children, not the business of vouchers, to benefit). Texans aren’t anti-vaccine or anti-science (just look at the amazing Houston Medical Center (a ‘city’ unto itself), Dallas Medical Center, San Antonio Medical Center (including the San Antonio Military Medical Center), the growing Austin Medical Center, Houston Spaceport, Boca Chica/Space-X Spaceport, Launch Site One/Blue-Origin Spaceport, & Midland Spaceport). Texans don’t want to use our Justice Department to promote conspiracy theories or political agendas (we want our Attorney General to enforce Texas laws and to protect & serve Texas’ Citizens). Texans don’t want their tax dollars to be used to send illegal immigrants to the largest population centers in our Country (we’d rather use our tax dollars to secure our border). Texans are kind, hard-working, innovative, independent, fun-loving Americans, who want to live as they please, and who are tolerant of the rights of others to pursue happiness as they see fit. Texans are generous American Patriots. I will never forget how the Citizens of the Great State of Texas welcomed and cared for my Family & Friends from Louisiana & the Gulf Coast, after Hurricane Katrina devastated their homes & communities. When will we remove the influence of $$$ from our Texas politics, including great Wealth from outside of the State, and replace that with the votes of the Citizens of the Great State of Texas? Aren’t our Elected Officials supposed to represent the interests of the majority of Constituents in their respective Districts? https://lnkd.in/gs7fXisQ

What to know about the House bill that could punish nonprofits over alleged ‘terrorist’ ties PBS NEWS The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would empower the Treasury Department to eliminate the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it deems to be supporting terrorism. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act was approved in a 219-184 vote, with all but one Republican backing it and only 15 Democrats voting for it, on Nov. 21, 2024. The Conversation U.S. philanthropy and nonprofits editor Emily Schwartz Greco spoke with Beth Gazley, an Indiana University scholar of nonprofits, local governance and civil society, to better understand the outcry over this measure — which would have to pass in the Senate before a U.S. president could sign it into law. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office in January 2025, will begin his second term with narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. That means an identical or similar bill could come across his desk after being reintroduced in the next Congress. This kind of law could become a blunt sword that can be used against everybody. I’m not the only one who feels this way. U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat who previously was a constitutional law professor, called the bill “a werewolf in sheep’s clothing.” Raskin observed that “rendering support to terrorists is already a felony” and warned that this bill could end up “capsizing” all rights to due process.... https://lnkd.in/eik2gQJF #terrorism #punishment #nonprofits #501c #charities #fundraising #democrats #republicans #senate #representatives #politics #USA #abuse #power #democracy #censorship #freedom #books #writers #justice #law #legal #defense #justicia #leyes

ALL Americans - across the entire spectrum - should want to stop H.R. 9495 from raising its Grinchy, grimy little head again. We ALL have a stake in defending freedom of speech and freedom of assembly! Whether you self-define as “progressive” or not, whether your org is “progressive” or not, these attacks will impact ALL nonprofits. In fact, they’ll impact ALL Americans — because these attacks erode the First Amendment of our United States Constitution. Don’t get hoodwinked. Don’t get divided and conquered. Stay alert. Stay focused. Defend nonprofits and defend democracy. Every day.

https://lnkd.in/eSPb-Ub8 Put politics aside... this would be very bad for nonprofit organizations in the US. So let your representatives know what you think. Here's how: 1. CALL your Reps https://lnkd.in/evy7va_6 2. Hello, I'm a voter in [zip code] & I want to urge [Congressperson's name] to vote NO on H.R. 9495, because I don't want non-profit organizations in our community to have their tax status dismantled next year without evidence against them.

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URGENT: Congress is voting again later this morning on a bill that will endanger nonprofits under the guise of stopping terrorism. Please, call your Reps now and urge them NOT to pass HR 9495. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing with this nefarious clause hidden in section 4. Congressional switchboard: 202-224-3121. Here’s a helpful call script from American Jewish World Service (AJWS) : CALL SCRIPT:  Hi, my name is {NAME}, and I’m calling to urge {REPRESENTATIVE} to vote NO on H.R. 9495 when it comes up for a vote this week. As someone who follows human rights headlines closely, I understand the harms caused by organizations that foment hate and terror. That is why I appreciate that there is already a sound process to address these issues in the U.S. Code. Our current process is less susceptible to political interference or the chilling effect on speech and organizing than H.R. 9495 will have. It is deeply concerning that Section 4 of this bill would give the U.S. government the power to effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization without due process or a full explanation.  This bill is a threat to our democracy and it’s critical that {REPRESENTATIVE} votes NO on H.R. 9495. Please remind them that their constituents are following along closely, and we expect them to protect our democracy.  House Democrats who voted YES on last week — ask them to vote NO on HR 9495 this week: Allred (TX-32)  Budzinski (IL-13)  Caraveo (CO-8)  Case (HI-1)  Castor (FL-14)  Costa (CA-21)  Craig (MN-2)  Cuellar (TX-22)  Davids (KS-3)  Davis (NC-1)  Dingell (MI-6)  Frankel, Lois (FL-22)  Golden (ME-2)  Gonzalez, V. (TX-34)  Gottheimer (NJ-5)  Harder (CA-9)  Hayes (CT-5)  Hoyer (MD-5)  Kaptur (OH-9)  Landsman (OH-1)   Lee (NV-3)  Levin (CA-49)  Manning (NC-6)  McBath (GA-7)  Meng (NY-6)  Moore (WI-4)  Moskowitz (FL-23)  Mrvan (IN-1)  Norcross (NJ-1)  Pallone (NJ-6)  Panetta (CA-19)  Pappas (NH-1)  Perez (WA-3)  Ryan (NY-18)  Schiff (CA-30)  Schneider (IL-10)  Scholten (MI-3)  Schrier (WA-8)  Sherman (CA-32)  Slotkin (MI-7)  Sorensen (IL-17)  Stanton (AZ-4)  Stevens (MI-11)  Strickland (WA-10)  Suozzi (NY-3)  Sykes (OH-13)  Thanedar (MI-13)  Torres, Norma (CA-35)  Torres, Ritchie (NY-15)  Vargas (CA-52)  Vasquez (NM-2)  Wasserman Schultz (FL-25)    House Democrats who did not vote last week — ask them to vote NO on HR 9495 this week: Bowman (NY-16)  Cartwright (PA-8)  Connolly (VA-11)  Davis (IL-7)  Evans (PA-3)  Gallego (AZ-3)  Gomez (CA-34)  Grijalva (AZ-7)  Houlahan (PA-6)  Kamlager-Dove (CA-37)  Keating (MA-9)  Kim (NJ-3)  Leger Fernandez (NM-3)  Mfume (MD-7)  Scott, David (GA-13)  Wexton (VA-10)  Wilson (FL-24